St. Maron's Cathedral, Sydney

About

St. Maroun's Cathedral, also called St Maron's Cathedral, is a Maronite rite Eastern Catholic Church cathedral and church, located in the suburb of Redfern, in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. St. Maroun's Cathedral is the main church of the Maronite Catholic Eparchy of Saint Maron of Sydney (Eparchia Sancti Maronis Sydneyensis Maronitarum). Saint Maroun's was first established on 10 January 1897. The Eparchy, itself, was created by Pope Paul VI later in 1973 through the papal bull, Illo fretis Concilii. The administration of the Eparchy is overseen by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Sydney. The first Maronite priests to arrive in Sydney were Father Abdallah Yazbek and Father Joseph Dahdah, arriving on 8 May 1893. The then Catholic Archbishop of Sydney Cardinal Moran permitted them to initially celebrate mass at Saint Vincent De Paul located on Redfern Street in Redfern and Our Lady of Mount Carmel located on Kellick Street in Waterloo. Saint Maroun's Cathedral is the seat of current Epoch Antoine-Charbel Tarabay, OLM. Religious services at Saint Maroun's Cathedral are delivered in English and Arabic, as well as the liturgical language of the Maronite Church, being ancient Syro...

The Maronites trace their beginnings to Saint Maroun (also called St Maron) who led a monastic life in the fourth century in Syria. Maronite clergy preached the Christian gospel in the mountains of North Lebanon where the Maronite Christian community grew. The Maronite diaspora has since spread to many countries throughout the world, including Australia.

The first Maronite priests to arrive in Sydney were Father Abdallah Yazbek and Father Joseph Dahdah, arriving on 8 May 1893 to serve the growing Maronite community in Australia. The then Catholic Archbishop of Sydney Cardinal Moran permitted them to initially celebrate mass at Saint Vincent De Paul in Redfern and Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Waterloo.

In 1894, the Maronite community, with the encouragement of Father Yazbek and Father Dahdah, leased the top floor of a premises in Raglin Street, Waterloo for approximately 2 years and this was used for church services, and as a meeting place for the growing Maronite community in and around Redfern.

In 1895, the premises at 621 Elizabeth Street, Redfern, NSW, 2016 was purchased for 600 pounds. The construction of the original Saint Maroun's Church commenced in about 1896 and was completed in early 1897. Saint Maroun's Church was officially consecrated and opened on 10 January 1897, with the Catholic Archbishop of Sydney, Cardinal Patrick Moran, celebrating mass along with Father Yazbek and Father Dahdah.

The original Church consisted of rendered lime brick construction with the exterior painted a light grey color. The Church also featured a small bell-tower which sat on top of the front entrance or archway.

Saint Maroun's Cathedral was initially known as "Saint Maroun's Church" rather than "Saint Maroun's Cathedral". Saint Maroun's was initially a church and not the seat of a bishop. The first Maronite Bishop of Australia was elected in 1973 with the establishment, through the papal bull, Illo fretis Concilii, of the Eparchy of Saint Maroun. Accordingly, "Saint Maroun's Church" officially became "Saint Maroun's Cathedral" from 25 June 1973 with the appointment of Bishop Ignace Abdo Khalife as the first Maronite Bishop for the Eparchy.

In 1963, Father Peter Ziade (later Monsignor Ziade) was commissioned by then Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Boutros Sfeir to travel to Sydney, Australia as the new parish priest for the Maronite community. Father Ziade left Lebanon on 10 September 1963 and arrived in Sydney on 11 September 1963 to begin his tenure, replacing Father Chuchrallah Harb.

The Maronite community in Australia (particularly in Sydney) continued to grow from the early migration wave which had begun in about the early 1800s. The community had experienced a plateau in migration with the introduction of the White Australia Policy which came into force in the early 1900s, however this was relaxed in the 1920s. The Maronite community grew from an estimated 5,000 members in about 1950 to around 25,000 by 1970.

Given their growing number, there was a need within the community for the expansion of pastoral care and church space. Father Ziade, reflecting on the construction of the new Saint Maroun's church, and the size of the original Saint Maroun's Church, described the situation as follows: "The former little church was so small there was no place for everybody to sit so some stood outside under the rain in winter and in sunshine in the summer."

In 1965, the Maronite community of Sydney raised funds for the purchase of the adjacent property at 627 Elizabeth Street, Redfern, NSW 2016 (which was then used as an auto-repair shop) in the hope of establishing a new larger church to meet the needs of the Maronite community.

The then-Catholic Archbishop of Sydney Cardinal Gilroy and Father Ziade celebrated Holy Mass and laid the foundation stone for the new church on 1 March 1964 on the south side of the corner of the (then-vacant) land located at 627 Elizabeth Street, Redfern, NSW, 2016. Construction of the new Saint Maroun's Church at 627 Elizabeth Street, Redfern was completed in about April 1965.

The official opening and consecration of the new Saint Maroun's Church took place on 2 May 1965. Then Archbishop of Sydney Cardinal Gilroy and Father Ziade presided over the mass.

The current Saint Maroun's Cathedral stands on the site of the former auto-repair shop, with the current Saint Maroun's Church Hall now standing on the site of the original church built in 1897.

The Maronites trace their beginnings to Saint Maroun (also called St Maron) who led a monastic life in the fourth century in Syria. Maronite clergy preached the Christian gospel in the mountains of North Lebanon where the Maronite Christian community grew. The Maronite diaspora has since spread to many countries throughout the world, including Australia.

The first Maronite priests to arrive in Sydney were Father Abdallah Yazbek and Father Joseph Dahdah, arriving on 8 May 1893 to serve the growing Maronite community in Australia. The then Catholic Archbishop of Sydney Cardinal Moran permitted them to initially celebrate mass at Saint Vincent De Paul in Redfern and Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Waterloo.

In 1894, the Maronite community, with the encouragement of Father Yazbek and Father Dahdah, leased the top floor of a premises in Raglin Street, Waterloo for approximately 2 years and this was used for church services, and as a meeting place for the growing Maronite community in and around Redfern.

In 1895, the premises at 621 Elizabeth Street, Redfern, NSW, 2016 was purchased for 600 pounds. The construction of the original Saint Maroun's Church commenced in about 1896 and was completed in early 1897. Saint Maroun's Church was officially consecrated and opened on 10 January 1897, with the Catholic Archbishop of Sydney, Cardinal Patrick Moran, celebrating mass along with Father Yazbek and Father Dahdah.

The original Church consisted of rendered lime brick construction with the exterior painted a light grey color. The Church also featured a small bell-tower which sat on top of the front entrance or archway.

Saint Maroun's Cathedral was initially known as "Saint Maroun's Church" rather than "Saint Maroun's Cathedral". Saint Maroun's was initially a church and not the seat of a bishop. The first Maronite Bishop of Australia was elected in 1973 with the establishment, through the papal bull, Illo fretis Concilii, of the Eparchy of Saint Maroun. Accordingly, "Saint Maroun's Church" officially became "Saint Maroun's Cathedral" from 25 June 1973 with the appointment of Bishop Ignace Abdo Khalife as the first Maronite Bishop for the Eparchy.